Flexible and expansible bracelet.



K. ROTHERHAM. FLEXIBLE AND EXPANSIBLE BRACELET. APPLICATION FILED MAR.16, 1912.

1,028,788. 8 L Patented June (1,1912.

KEVITT ROTHERHA1VI,- OF COVENTRY, ENGLAND.

FLEXIBLE AND EXPANSIIBLE BRACELET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1912.

Application filed March 16, 1912. Serial No. 684,250.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, KEVITT ROTHERHAM, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 27 Spon street, Coventry, in the county of l/Varwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible and Expansible Bracelets, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The invention relates to flexible and expansible bracelets of the kind made endless and built up of a number of pairs of outer links, and a number of inner links which are of hollow construction and contain small delicate coiled springs in compression. Such a bracelet is usually made throughout of gold, the springs, which are very sensitive in action, being also made of this metal. Transverse pivots, one at each end of the outer links, serve to rigidly couple the outer links ofeach pair, and pass through longitudinal side slots of the inner links so as to connect said outer links and inner links the bracelet, with each spring in compression between the one end of the inner link and an adjacent pivot. The latter usually takes the form of a very small diameter tube length, over which anadditional tube is slipped to distance apart the outer links prior to the ends of the pivot tube being displaced, expanded or riveted up at the outer faces of the outer links. Each outer link is usually of a hollow construction entirely closed except uponits inner side, which slidably abuts against the side of the inner link. In connection with this type of bracelet the invention provides constructional improvements enabling soldered pivot pins to be conveniently used instead of riveted, or expanded, ones, and thesmall coiled springs to be placed in position after the whole of the soldering of said pivot pins has taken place. In this way said springs, which are exceedingly delicate in construction and sensitive in action, have their maximum amount of efficiency when in position, and there is no possibility of p the pivot pins becoming loose or insecure. Further, by the use of soldered pivot pins the distancing tubes usually usedare dispensed wit-h, as the outer links are fixed apart by the soldering, so that there is a saving of valuable metal and a slightly longer spring act-ion consequent upon the together longitudinally of use of soldered in pivot pins,

pivot pin being of very small diameter where it passes across the two opposite links of each pair. The longer the spring action, or the longer the spring, in such a bracelet the greater the expansion in the bracelet to pass over the hand, .and the softer the grip on the wrist of the wearer.

The constructional improvements hereinbefore indicated will be hereinafter fully described in connection with the drawings, which show a rounded-end pattern of link.

Figure 1 is a face section of a portion of the finished bracelet in the contracted condition. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the expanded condition. Fig. 3 is a side section of Fig. 1 on the dotted lines, A, B, looking to the right. Fig. 4: is a side section of Fig. 1 on the dotted lines, G, D, looking also to the right. Fig. 5 is a side section of a number of connected together links after the pivot pins have been soldered in, and prior to the spring being put into-position within the inner link, this representation showing the position of the inner link for introducing the spring. Fig. 6 is a face section similar to Fig. 1 after the spring has been put in position within the inner link,

the space between.

to show how the one end of the inner link can afterward be efficiently connected in a slidable manner with the outer links of a pair.

The bracelet is built up of pairs of outer links such as a a, and a number of inner and intermediate links such as 0, connected to each other longitudinally of the, bracelet by transverse pivot pins d. These latter at 0Z fit holes a in the outer links, and are solder,- ed therein to rigidly couple and "distance said links apart in pairs, each link a being hollow and closed except upon its inner side where a longitudinal slot a is provided of the same width as the diameter of the pivot pins. The latter are as small in diameter as possible consistent with the necessary strength," in order. to save metal and provide a small diameter at the middle arts d of said pins; it being, so far, part of the invention to distance apartthe outer links by the soldered-in pivotfpins, which obviates the necessity of using distancing tubes over the pivot pins to distance the outer links apart, and are in themselves securely applied. In order to permit of the as aforesaid,

the springs of the bracelet must be put in The invention combines with thesol'dered pivot pins, aforesaid, means provided upon the inner links at the one end for permitting.

the engagement of said end with the opposite slots a ofthe pair of outer links after the whole of the soldering of the pivotpins has taken place, and the spring has been put into position. Each inner link is provided with opposite slots 0 0 through which two adj a'cent pivot pins of adjacent pairs of outer links pass, the said inner link fitting slidably and freely within the spaces between the outer links of the respective pairs. The spring 6 is in compression between the one pivot pin and the end 0 of the inner link, and when the bracelet expands the distance between said pivot pin and said end is reduced. In the-contracted, or normal, condition of the bracelet the ends of the inner links abut, so that the movable ends c 'must be slidably connected with the opposite slots a a of the pair of outer'links, and this needs to be done after the soldering of the pivot pins has taken place. The end 6 of the inner link is provided with a transverse coupling bar f, whichis soldered to said end so as to provide bendable horns or ends f 7. These "horns or ends, after the spring 6 has been put into position within the hollowing of'the inner link (by worming it'by rotation through one of'the side slots 0 or '0 are made to engage the opposite slots a a of the outer'links in the manner-represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, so as to connect the end 0 of the inner link'to the outer links radially of the pivot pins, and at the same time permit of the free expanding movement of the bracelet, b-ut'previously to said engagement of the horns or ends with the slots a said horns take up a position represented clearly by Figs. 5 and 6 to permit of the inner link 0 swinging radially upon the two pivot pins passing through it into a position represented in Fig. 5. While the link 0 is in this position, Fig. 5 (the whole of the soldering in of the pivot pins having been completed)' the spring e is wormed in to the interior of the link through one of the slots 0 or 0 To permit of the link 0 swinginglradially the horns f F must first lie within the width of the inner link as in Fig. 6 so that when the springis inposition the end 0 of the link can be again positioned between the two outer links of the pair to permit of the horns f f being turned into the slots (f as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, so as to stop any further'radial swinging of the inner link on the pivot pins.

The formation of the-coupling barfwithin the end of the inner link follows the inner curvature of the'rounded end of the link, so that that particular end of the spring 6 can 'comeclose in a manner enabling the fullest length of spring to be used, and with regard-.torthis particular feature the absence of any-distancingtube on the pivot pin (as would be needed ifthe pivot pin was not soldered in) lengthens the spring slightly, which lengthening, however small, is most effectual in result throughouttlie whole of the springs of thebracelet. In the case of a pattern of'link withsquare endsinstead of rounded the length"ofthesprings would be increased.

The horns f f 'are' bent from their positions Fig. 6' to Figs; 1 and 2 by 'hand. Instead. of said horns being provided by the separate coupling'piece f soldered'to'the linner'linkthey might be formedfrom the metal of the inner link itself, but'the arrangement represented in the drawings is the most desirable. one.

Having now described' myinvention what Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a flexible. andexpansible bracelet, the combination ofadjacentpairs of' outer links having longitudinal guiding'slots at their opposite inner sides, transverse pivot pinssoldered 'attheirendsto' said outer links to rigidly connect and distance apart the links of each pair, a-hollow'inner link freely fitting the spaces-between'two adjacent pairs of outer links and'oppositely side slotted for adjacent pivot pins of two pairs of outer links to pass through, a coiled spring contained within the inner link in compression between the one end of'said link and one of the pivot pins and which can be put into position through one of the side-slots of said inner link, and means-provided upon the inner link at one endto permit of said end being put into effective engagement with the opposite slots of the pair of outer links after the solderingof-the pivot pins, substantiall j as described.-

2. In a eXi'ble and eXpansible bracelet,

the combination of adjacent pairs of outer links having longitudinal guiding slots at their opposite inner sides, transverse pivot pins soldered at their ends to said outerlinks to rigidly connect and-distance apart the links of each pair, a hollow inner link freely fitting the spaces between two adjacent pairsof outer'links and oppositely side slotted for adjacent pivot pins of two pairs of outer links to pass through, a coiled spring contained within the inner link in compression between the oneend of said link and one of the pivot pins and which can be put into position through one of the side slots of said inner link, and bendable horns or ends provided upon the inner link at one end to permit of said end being put Warwick, England, this 8th day of March into engagemgnt With opposite slots of the 1912. outer links a ter the pivot pins have been soldered, said horns being provided from KEVITT ROTHERHAM' an attached coupling bar soldered to the Witnesses: inner link end, substantially as described. GEO. FUERY,

Signed at Birmingham, in the county of BERNARD H. TINGLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. C. 

